How do other young people finance their car?

I'm 18 and thinking about buying a car of my own but it's so expensive. Just wanted to know how other young people finance it. Do your parents pay? Do you even think it's worth all the money? =)

Public Comments

1. You'll probably need a job and a co-signer that has good credit and trusts you. People should only buy things if they can afford it themselves. It is called being responsible.
2. Here is the error in your thinking. This should not be expensive. With a decent job and some savings along with the support of your parents you should be able to pay cash. The amount of money you spend on a car is directly related to the amount of money you earn. As a young adult just starting out I'm sure your wages are not yet top pay. Your car budget needs to be inline with your earnings. No more than 20% of your take home pay. So if you earn $12,000 a year your car should cost no more than $2400.
3. You should do what all of the previous generations did...buy a crappy car with cash, and keep fixing it until you get a "real" job, and can afford a newer one. Today's culture is putting your generation in serious debt. Don't sacrifice your future by paying way too much for a "pimp my ride" type of car. It's wasteful, and you'll be posting on here in a year, asking how you can get out of a 500+ dollar a month car payment.
4. There are a number of ways that most people do it: 1. Save money to pay cash for a "starter" car, and then trade up to better cars as your finances improve in the future 2. Borrow money from family -- or car as gift from family 3. Have family member co-sign for loan 4. Inherit car from family member
5. My first vehicle I bought on my own was a 1993 Isuzu Pickup (don't worry, made in West Lafayette, Indiana) back in 1999 with a $2000 personal loan (mom co-signed, I believe) and $2000 of our own money cobbled together. We needed a truck and it replaced an absolute POS 1969 VW Beetle that "the guy my mom divorced" at the time thought would be reliable enough to buy for $1100 even at 30 years old...